The Beginning to a Legend!
by Pandaofcurses
Summary: Natalie Shepard, a colonist on Horizon, just turned 18 and her biggest dream just came true, to join the Alliance Navy! Will she ever make it in the vast universe? Or will she fall flat on her arse?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter1**

"Natalie Amelia Shepard, get your arse out of bed right now!" Her mother screams out as she walks over to her daughters bed, standing by the end of it. She firmly takes hold of the sheets pulling them off the bed, causing Natalie to shiver from cold, groaning in annoyance. Flinching at her mothers use of her name as always, she hated being called by her full name; she preferred the nicknames Nat, Allie and Tali.

Her mother, Rosemary Shepard, had her fair face, gentle milky chocolate brown eyes and her curly fiery red locks were tied in a plait, gently leaning across the nape of her neck. Her face had gained wrinkles due to the frustration towards her daughter in the past few years.

Rosemry sat down on her daughters bed "Natalie don't you groan at me! You need to get up! Todays your big day!" Her mother grins "I cant believe its your eighteenth birthday, my little girls growing up"

Natalie digs her head into her pillow groaning Rosemary grabs the pillow removing it, causing Natalie's head to hit the bed. She groans out in frustration. "Mum! Seriously, It's too early in the morning and i'm tired as fuck! Just let me sleep in on my birthday!"  
She attempted to push her mother out of her bed, curling up into a ball trying to conserve any form of warmth she could. Her mother hits her leg with the pillow, shocked at her choice of language.

"Watch your mouth Natalie! I don't know where on earth I went wrong with you! And you wouldn't be so tired if you weren't up all night on the roof looking at the stars!"  
Natalie turns mocking her mothers words, as he had heard this lecture once too many times. Rosemary continued her lecture.

"A beautiful young woman like yourself shouldn't be going out to shooting ranges with her father, or going on patrols with him! sessions! You need to grow up and start acting more feminine!"  
Natalie jolts up, facing her mother, her emerald green eyes filled with rage "Mum, I am sick to death of this talk! I'm sorry I'm not the feminine daughter you wanted, I don't want to spend my life in the colony. I want to explore the galaxy, learn about the other races, fight for my planet!"

Her mothers face becomes filled with sadness, as she sighs and gets up from the bed and slowly walking to the door.  
Natalie grimaces, realising she had hurt her mothers feelings.

"Mum, I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you, I just. You know my feelings I want to make a difference, I want to be an Alliance soldier, meeting the new species out there, protecting the galaxy and Horizon, I don't want these idiot soldiers in charge of protecting our colony"

Rosemary stopped almost to the door, staying silent. She stands still, looking down. Natalie gets up from her bed, walking across to her mother, standing only a few feet behind her. "I want to go out be the one saving lives, get the thrill of some adventure and danger, I don't want to be left in a house all my life cooking and cleaning! I want some adventure!"

Rosemary looked to her daughter "The alliance would be lucky to have you serving under them, but Natalie, you and your father are the only things I have left on this damned planet...I don't want you getting killed, its not right for a mother to bury her child..."  
Natalie's facial expression lightened as she looked to her mother "Mum, I've been training with dad, I know how to handle a weapon, I know how to keep myself protected and as well if I get into the Alliance I'll be going into N7 training, 20 hours of training everyday in a combat simulator in real life experiences. I want to do this, I want to be a hero, I want to help people!"

Rosemary stood looking to her daughter, as her husband Alexander came in "Happy Birthday Pup!" Her father exclaimed, embracing his daughter in his arms. Natalie chuckled as she returned her fathers embrace, looking to her mother. "Alex dear, go get Natalie your birthday present"  
Her father looked to his wife before excusing himself from the room to retrieve the present he had gotten for his daughter. Her mother smiled "If it's what you want to do, then I will try to be more supportive"  
Natalie smiled hugging her mother tightly "Thank you, that's all I want, support for something I want to do"

"Alright Nat, you ready for your surprise?" Her father asked walking through the door.  
His daughter nodded, as the three all sat down on Natalie's bed. Her father handed her a brown envelope with her name written on it, she instantly knew who it was from upon seeing the Alliance's symbol.  
She opened it slowly, wanting to build up her happiness if it was truly what she thought it was. She pulled out the snow white piece of paper and a huge grin formed across her face.

Miss Natalie Shepard,  
I have heard alot of your skills on the field, and those skills are what we'd like to have in the Alliance. Your father has spoken highly of you to me and has mentioned that you long to join the military, If that is the case the Alliance would be more than happy to accept you into our ranks.  
A Shuttle will pick you up in a few days, until then Shepard.  
Admiral Hackett.

"Dad I bloody love you!" She laughed, hugging her father again "How'd you ever get them to agree?"  
Her father smirked "I covered Hackett in a fire fight once, we're good friends, he's doing me and you a favour here Nat. Prove to them you're exactly what I sold to them"  
Natalie smiled, her fiery red hair jumped over her shoulders "I love you guys"

~*~

Natalie stood at the shuttle her parents and friends crowded round her, to wish her a farewell and good luck in the Alliance.  
She smiled, waving goodbye to everyone, her friends came over to hug her and say farewell. Shortly after saying goodbye to her parents one of the soldiers escorted her inside the shuttle, she sat down, watching from the windows as her family and everything she knew faded away...


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter2**

The alliance was amazing, Natalie was sent into training immediatly. Her speed and battle stratages were nothing like the alliance had seen before, as she moved from cover to cover shooting down targets with ease taking blows but not bothering to check herself until she reached her next point of cover. Placing the assault rifle to the ground she applied medi gel to her wounds, looking above the cover for a second before re-taking the rifle into her right hand and shooting down another target, She forcefully ran through the sea of bullets some of which tore through her skin causing agonising pain, Natalies breath shallowed as she took cover sliding down against the plastic shield she used for cover.

A loud piercing beep shot through the training room, dropping the rifle to cover her ears Natalie winced at the rining pain now in her ears.  
"Shepard! That's enough for today" Her commanding officer shouted.  
Natalie's head fell against the plastic as she panted for air, sweat beading off her forehead she stood. Walking back over to her commanding officer as the gunnery chief relieved her of the assault rifle she carried "Well done Shepard, tomorrow we'll work on sniping on the field. See how you cope with moving targets"  
She nodded, as she rolled her shoulders trying to rid herself of the strain of keeping them back for so long "Sounds good sir"  
He nodded turning on his heel and making his way to the door "Oh, and Shepard?" He stopped, turning to face the trainee "Maybe get a check up at the med clinic"  
She chuckled, as the two left the training room, her commanding officer leaving to see to his other trainees and Shepard to the female changing rooms.

Steam filled the changing rooms, as Natalie showered. There was nothing like a nice warm shower after a long hard day of training. As the water flowed down her body and fell to the marble flooring of the shower, all the muscles in her body relaxed. As she rinsed herself of the sweat beading her curved body.  
Bringing the shower to a stop after rinsing her firery red hair, she stepped out onto the cold floor of the changing room a burning sensation ran through her feet as a sudden reaction to the cold floor on her warm feet. Her fluffy white towel wrapped firmly around her body showing her curves as she returned to her locker, retrieving her gym bag from inside pulling the the zip open to reveal her clothing and some deodrant.  
Drying her body she quickly put on her underwear, a white t-shirt, her black cargo pants and black army boots. She put her towel away in the bag, picked it up then made her way from the changing rooms and towards her room.

Natalie opened the door to the joined room she shared with one of the other new female recuit, with no sign of her Natalie dumped the bag down on her bed then tended to her hair, tired of the remains of the water dripping down her back.  
The hairdryer made the hairs on her neck stick up, as the warmth of the hairdryer blasted cold air onto her neck giving her a trail of goosebumps down her neck. Rapidly changing the heat of the hairdryer she continued to dry her hair.

Natalie sat on her bed as Nichole slammed the door shut, making the redhead sit up in confusion "Cole?" Natalie asked dropping the book she was reading on the bed "What's wrong?"  
Nichole gave a snicker "Dont pretend like you care Nat!" She growled, as she dragged her suitcase from the closet "Not that it matters the whole Alliance will know by tomorrow"  
Natalie got up, moving the suitcase off her bed, giving Nichole a stern look "What the shit is up with you cole?"  
She forcfully snatched the suitcase from out of Natalie's grip, slamming it back onto her bed "I'm quitting!" She shouted "I can't be hassled by these two face fucktarded jerks anymore!"  
Natalie looked to her room mate confused "Everyone here! I'm not cut out for military life, the rooms yours!"  
Nichole turned and started to pack her bag with her clothes and all her belongings, Natalie looked to her as she sat down on the blonds bed "You can't leave Cole!" She protested "You're the only person here I know!"  
She sniggered "Well, now you can complete training alone!" Nichole growled, her blonde hair floating in front of her face as she turned picking up the remains of her belongings before closing the suitcase and walking to the door.  
"See you round Nat" Nichole turned to face her, Her facial features soft , her pale green eyes gleamed with happiness as she smiled.  
"Good luck"


End file.
